Social media platforms such as Facebook, Google, Bazaarvoice, Spredfast and Mass Relevance have found success in Austin in recent years. Panelists at a March 13 South by Southwest Conferences & Festivals session held at the Austin Chamber of Commerce discussed why the city has become a hotbed of social media activity. Krupa Patel Bala, small business advocacy manager with Facebook, said her company was drawn to Austin because of the pipeline of talent The University of Texas offers. “Austin’s got a great community of developers as well,” she said. “It’s not just talent on the hiring side, but also talent in terms of what people are bringing to market.” Sam Decker, a co-founder of Austin-based venture Bazaarvoice and Mass Relevance, which merged with Spredfast in 2014, said companies like Facebook and Google provide meaningful employment and develop employees who may be interested in starting their own company or joining a startup later on.

“I get pinged a lot from outside sources wanting to invest in Austin, but they haven’t figured out how to connect here.” — Sam Decker, co-founder of Bazaarvoice and Mass Relevance

“It’s certainly pleasantly surprising seeing companies getting satellite offices here,” Decker said. “People say, ‘Oh we don’t want to be just a back office,’ but the way I look at it is these back offices are also developing employees, and they’re moving back and forth and around Austin.” Decker said he was concerned with the amount of money available to startups in the city. “What is unpleasantly surprising is the capital structure here,” he said. “I get pinged a lot from outside sources wanting to invest in Austin, but they haven’t figured out how to connect here.” Decker said he sees a lot of capital making its way here, so he “is not despairing” over the issue. One audience member asked how the city can continue its success in the field of social media. Decker said the key to ensuring Austin’s continued dominance is simple: success begets more success. As companies get bigger and go though different growth stages, their employees will often want to stay with smaller companies, so they leave to shepherd those startups, bringing their expertise with them. Decker pointed to his own success with Bazaarvoice, which he credited with helping him land funding for Mass Relevance much faster than would otherwise have been the case. “The more success we have here [in Austin], the more confidence and funding that will come out of people,” he said.